Car-coupling



(Nb Mariel.) 2 sheetssheen 2.

A. FOX.

GAR CO-UPLING.

i UNITED STATES? PATENT OFFICE.

LALEXANDER FOX, OF GALESBURG, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COUPLING.

`SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent No. 412,380, dated October 8, 1889.

Application ii1ed July 5,1889. vSerial No. 316,489. (No model.)

.zen of the United States, residing at Galesburg, in the county of Knox and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings,of which the following is a specification. l

t This invention relates to improvements in car-couplings; and it consists in constructions `and combinations hereinafter described and claimed. l f

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrat-e my invention, Figure l is an end elevation ofthe body of an .ordinary freight-car, partly broken away, and an elevation of my invention as applied thereto; Fig. 2, a top plan of the draw-head, Fig. 3, a sectional plan of the draw-head and coupling-pin and plan of the coupling-link as engaged with the coupling-pin; Fig. 4, a sectional elevation of the draw-head and coupling pin and link; Fig. 5, a sectional elevation of the draw-head, coupling pin and link, draw-bar, and the couplingpin-liftingmechanism; Fig. 6, a detail, a sectional elevation in the line 6 6 in Fig. 5; and Fig. 7, a -perspective of the coupling-pin.

The same reference-letter hereinafter used indicates the same part of the coupling where used in the different gures of the drawings.

The car A.(partly lshown in the drawings) is an ordinary car. The draw-bar B is also of ordinary construction, attached to the caras shown; or it may be attached in any ordinary manner. The draw-head D has an opening or throat d for the reception of the link, which opening does not differ in any substantial degree from the ordinary opening for the same purpose. The draw-head has a slot d in its upper wall or part and two holes cl2 d3 in its lower wall or part, for the reception of the coupling-pin E,.as hereinafter described. The rear side of the slot d and the rear side of the rear'hole da are in line, as are the front side of the slot and the front side of the hole d2.

The coupling-pin E is formed of a longer arm e and a shorter arm e', connected by a bar'e; or, in other words, is formed of a U- shaped bar, with a short arm and a long arm, united, preferably, at right angles to the bar which connects them. The long arm e of the coupling-pin has a slot e3 extending lengthwise of itself, in which is located a swinging trigger or catch G, having a shoulder g on its front side, below which a tail-piece g extends downwardly and somewhat rearwardly. The trigger G has an oblique slot g2 in its upper end, which extends from a higher point near the front side of the catch to a lower point toward its rear side, through which slot a pin g3 passes to pivot the trigger to and in `the arm e of the coupling-pin.

H is an ordinary coupling-link.

The pin E is seated, with both of its arms e e', in the slot d of the draw-head, with its 312m e in the hole ds and its arm e in the hole sition, as shown at Fig. 4., the catch G will hang on the pin g, which willbe in the higher and forward end of the slot g2. When the coupling-pin is raised to the position shown at Fig. 5, the catch G, by reason of its heavier portion in rear of the pin g5, will swing forward -at its lower end until stopped by its tail-piece g striking 'the side wall of the hole d3, thus bringing the shoulder g over the bottom d* of the draw-head and holding the catch G to support the coupling-pin in its elevated position, as shown at same figure.

I is a rod or bar, with its forward end in the slot e, where it is pivoted at 'L' near the lower end of the arm e of the coupling-pin. The rear part of the rod I passes through a tubular carrier I which has lateral journals or trunnions i', which have bearings in the sides of a pendant J, through which the carrier I passes, as shown at Figs. 5 and 6. The carrier I can swing on its bearings 1l to permit of raising and lowering the forward end of the rod I and with it the coupling-pin, and the rod I can move endwise in the tube I', as may be required in the various movements of said rod I. The tubular carrier I is so mounted in the pendant J that its forward 'end cannot fall to the ground if the rod I becomes disengaged therefrom, and the rod Iis so short that it cannot fall to the ground if released at its rear end.

K is a lifting-bar located transversely of the car and with its mid-length part beneath the forward part of the rod I, as shown at Figs. land 5. From each end of the lifting-bar K When the coupling-pin is inits lower po- IOO a chain L extends upwardly through suitable guide-eyes a a to the top of the car, Where it terminates with a hand-hold Z. A headed pin a2 projects from the car through a long link Z of the chain L. The upper ends of the long links Z, resting on the pins a2, will sustain the lifting-bar Kin its lower position. (Indicated by dotted lines at Fig. 1 and shown by full lines at Fig. Either linkZ, sliding on its pin a2,\vill permit raising one end of the lifting-rod K by means of the hand-hold Z into the position shown by full lines at Fig. 1, and it will be evident that either end of the bar K may be raised by taking hold thereof when its supporting-chain will bend out of line to permit the same.

The normal position of the lifting-bar K is the horizontal position shown by dotted lines at Fig. 1, and when either of its ends is telnporarily lifted by either means hereinbefore described, aud into the position shown by the full lines at same ligure, the bar K will come in contact with the rod I and lift the coupling-pin to the position shown at Fig. 5, when the trigger or catch G will swing forward at its lower end and its shoulder g, engaging with the bottom of the draw-head, will sustain the coupling-pin in its elevated position, as shown at same ligure. When the trigger or catch G sustains the weight of the coupling-pin, as last described, the pin g3 will rest in the lower and rear endof the slot g2.

In coupling, the link H, carried by an approaching draw-head, enters the throat d and striking the catch G, as shown at Fig. 5, knocks it back and out of engagement with the bottom of the draw-head, and the coupling-pin being thus liberated drops into the position shown at Fig. 4, with its arm ethro ugh the link H to effect a coupling. Raising one end of the lifting-bar K, as hereinbefore described, will uncouple the cars, and the catch G, operating as described, will again sustain the coupling-pin in place for another automatic coupling. In its elevated position, as shown at Fig. 5, both limbs e and e of the coupling-pin rest in the slot d', which serves as a guide in the descending movement of the coupling-pin. The inclined slot g2 allowing the trigger or catch G to move forward at its upper end while supporting' the couplingpin, will insure a more certain release of the shoulder gfrom the bottom of the draw-head should the link H incline upwardly at its entering end, and thus strike the catch G at a higher point. In such case the shoulderg will be released before the point where the catch is struck bythe link has passed into the arm e of the coupling-pin, as will be seen from the dotted-line representation of the catch G at said figure. An ordinary pivot for the catch G would operate; and I do not limit my main claims for this trigger or catch tothe slotpivot.

At Fig. 4 the parts are shown in positions at Fig. 3 the relative positions of the parts are those after the link H is drawn, as when pulling a car.

In coupling, if the link is in the position shown at Fig. 4, when the coupling-pin is raised the shoulder g on the trigger or catch G will rest on the top of the link, as shown by dotted lines at same figure, and sustain the coupling-pin until the engine starts the car or it is otherwise started to withdraw the link, when the coupling-pin will drop and the shoulder g engage with the bottom of the draw-head and sustain the coupling-pin for coupling, as hereinbefore described.

It will be seen that all of the operations in coupling and uncoupling can be ei'ected with my device without the operator going between the cars, and should the catch G become deranged or inoperative from any cause, or

should it be desirable from any other cause,

to hold and retain the coupling-pin in a higher and uncoupled position, as is sometimes nec* essary, this can bedone by lifting either end f the lifting-bar K and engaging it with the adjacent hook m, which extends down from the car, as shown by broken lines at Fig. 1.

The short limb e of the coupling-pin, connected as it is to the limb e, is very strong, and, seated as it is, not liable to be damaged. Au ordinary coupling-pin can be used in the slot CZ and the hole (Z2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a coupling-pin having a shorter limb to engage with the coupling-link and a longer limb provided with a pin g3, and a trigger having a shoulder g engaging with the draw-head and a slot g2 engaging with pin g3, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, thel combination of a draw-head, a coupling-pin having a shorter limb to engage with the coupling-link, and a longer limb provided with a pin g3, and a trigger having a shoulder g engaging with the draw-head, a slot g2 engaging with pin g3, and the tail-piece or stop g', substantially as described.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination of a draw-head, a coupling-pin having a shorter limb to engage with the coupling-link and a longer limb provided with a pin g3, a trigger having a shoulder g engaging with the drawhead and a slot g2 engaging with pin g3, and a lifting-bar extending across the car and adapted to raise the coupling-pin, substantially as described.

4. In a car-coupling, in combination with a draw-head and a vertically-sliding couplingpin having limbs e e and a swinging catch or trigger hinged thereto, a rod I, hinged beneath the car, and a rod transversely of the car and carried by suspending-chains, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a car-coupling, in combination witha IOO IIO

draw-head and a vertically-sliding coupling- In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in pin having limbs e e and. a swinging catch presence of two Witnesses. or trigger hinged thereto, a rod I, hinged to the coupling-pin, a, hinged rod I', in which it 5 slides endwise, and a lifting-bar' extending Witnesses: 4

across the oar, substantially as and for the B. F. HOLOOMB, purpose specified. H. M. RICHARDS.

ALEXANDER FOX. 

